The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has taken action against secondary ticketing platform StubHub UK.
The competition regulator said that StubHub UK did not show fans the total price upfront when purchasing tickets – as required by law. Instead, a mandatory fee was included later in the process.
The CMA has fined the company close to £900,000 and ordered it to issue refunds to more than 50,000 fans exceeding £590,000 for using this illegal practice known as drip pricing. Drip pricing can cause fans to be caught out by extra charges and to buy tickets they might not otherwise have selected, had they been able to compare prices accurately from the start.
The CMA found that unavoidable fees were added at the final stage of the checkout process and not included in the total price from the start, which broke consumer law.
StubHub UK will contact fans about their refund, which will be automatically repaid onto the card they used to purchase their tickets. The amount repaid to individuals will vary depending on how much they paid in fees – the average payout will be around £10 per transaction.
StubHub UK immediately took steps to end the conduct and engaged constructively with the CMA throughout the investigation. Having admitted breaking the law and agreeing to settle the case early with the CMA, the company received a 40% reduction to its financial penalty.
Our message to businesses is simple: be transparent on costs or risk CMA action
Emma Cochrane
Emma Cochrane, executive director of consumer protection at the CMA, said: “Hitting customers with hidden fees is illegal. It’s not fair to draw people in with what looks like a good deal, only for them to find the real price is higher when they get to the checkout due to extra charges that can’t be avoided.
“Going to a live gig or sports game is an event many people save for – and our action today means thousands of fans will get back money taken unfairly through hidden fees. Our message to businesses is simple: be transparent on costs or risk CMA action.”
Drip pricing was banned last year under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. When the CMA’s strengthened consumer powers came into force in April 2025, it committed to tackling hidden fees as well as other unlawful online pricing practices.
Adam Webb, campaign manager, FanFair Alliance, said: “These fines levied against StubHub UK for drip pricing should be welcomed. However, such illegal practices are only the tip of the iceberg. Over recent years, FanFair Alliance has repeatedly reported far more serious offences to the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA), where ticket touting websites including StubHub UK and viagogo have facilitated large-scale fraud and systematic breaches of consumer protection laws.
“Regulators should not turn a blind eye to these wider issues. Today's developments only highlight the urgent need for a root and branch investigation into the anti-consumer practices of offshore ticket resale websites, and for the UK government to fast-track their long-promised ban on ticket touting.”
StubHub UK has been contacted for comment.
FOLLOW 
